Small game carryall



Apnl 9, 1957 R. E. GIBNEY SMALL GAME CARRYALL FiledApril 27, 1956 FIG. 4

V INVENTOR. eo/vmo E. G/B/VEV,

SMALL GAME CARRYALL Ronald E. Gibney, Lapeer, Mich.

Application April 27, 1956, Serial No. 581,158

Claims. (Cl. 224-7) The present invention relates to devices for holding small game, such as birds, rabbits, squirrels, etc. More particularly the invention has reference to a device of this nature adapted to be suspended from the belt as a light, inexpensive holder the components of which are particularly shaped in a manner to permit a maximum amount of game to be suspended therefrom.

By way of background, it may be noted that the carrying of small game which has been killed on a hunting trip is often a problem, and heretofore, various devices have been conceived for the purpose of meeting this problem. However, so far as it is known these have not generally found commercial favor, and in many instances it is be- 'lieved that this may be due to the fact that the devices in some instances do not permit a suflicient amount of game to be carried, while in other instances they are relatively expensive, cumbersome, or may cause injury to the user during his normal physical activities while on a hunting trip.

The present invention has as its broad object the no vision of a game carryall that will not have any of the deficiencies noted in connection with the prior art devices. More particularly, the invention has reference to a carryall which can be inexpensively formed from a single piece of elongated material, such as heavy wire, plastic, tubular metal stock, or solid rod stock. The particular materials used, it may be noted, can be varied according to the desires of the manufacturer, and it is not intended to limit the invention as to the materials employed. In any event, the single length of material is bent to include a main U-shaped portion in the bight part of which the neck of a bird or other portion of the killed game may be engaged. The main U-shaped portion at its upper end has outwardly offset end portions, merging into J-shaped side portions each of which has a relatively narrow. bight part also adapted for holding game. The short legs of the J-shaped side portions, at their free ends, are adapted to be passed through the legs of rabbits or similar game, to suspend the game from the side portions. Safety clips are provided upon the side portions, normally sheathing the free ends of the game-penetrating legs, and a clip is also provided extending between the legs of the U-shaped center portion for the purpose of normally holding the same against spreading.

Among other important objects are the following:

To provide a device as stated which can be relatively cheaply constructed;

To produce, in a relatively compact game carrier, a maximum number of locations in which game can be carried, thus to increase the capacity of the carrier to a substantial degree as compared to previous devices conceived for the same purpose;

To provide a desirable safety feature such that injury to the user cannot occur during his normal physical activities;

To permit the game to be attached or detached with maximum speed and ease; and v nitecl States Patent 0 ill To so design the carrier that it can be readily suspended from ones belt, without danger of becoming accidentally detached.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the carrier;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a reduced perspective view of the device in use.

Referring to the drawings in detail, designated generally by the reference numeral 10 is the game carrier constituting the invention. This includes a main or center portion of U-shape, arranged generally vertically and comprising at its lower end a semi-circular bightjmerging at opposite ends thereof into elongated, normally parallel spring legs 14. Spring legs 14 are formed, at their upper ends, with upwardly and rearwardly divergent extensions 16. The projection of the extensions from the plane of the bight and legs 14 (see Figures 2 and 5) is designed to hold the device outwardly from the garments of the wearer when the device is in use, and as shown in Figure 1, at their divergent ends, the extensions 16 merge into parallel, relatively short portions 18 adapted to extend in contact with the inner surface of the wearers belt B.

At their upper ends, the portions 18 merge into forwardly projecting, narrow, curved bights 2t) straddling the top edge of belt B, and the-bights 20 merge in turn into side portions shorter in length than the center portion, the side portions being of J-shape and lying in planes normal to the plane of the center portion 12, 14, 14. Further, due to the fact that the extensions 16 diverge rearwardly from said plane of the center portion as shown in Figure 2, the J-shaped side portions are spaced laterally outwardly from the legs 14, to prevent interference between the several gameecarrying portions.

The J-shaped portions include elongated, vertical legs 22 merging at their lower ends into curved, narrow bight portions 24 which in turn merge into short legs 26 extending upwardly and formed at their upper, free ends with forwardly inclined, tapered extremities 28. The extremities 28 are blunted at their ends, to prevent injury to the user, but the taper of the extremities is sufficient to permit the same to be inserted between the leg tendons of a rabbit R or other small game as shown in Figure 5, so that the game can be strung upon the short legs 26, moving downwardly thereon into engagement with the bight 24. V

Side clips 30 are provided in the carrier, having at one end sleeves 32 slidably receiving the legs 22. The clips 34), as shown in Figure 3, are formed from lengths of bar material or the like, with the sleeve 32 merging into contacting, straight parts connected by a rivet 34 or the like. The straight parts, at the ends thereof remote from sleeve 32, merge into confronting, oppositely and outwardly bowed guard members 36, which are permanently connected by a top wall 37 (see Figure 4).

By reason of this arrangement, the tapered ends 28 of legs 26 are normally sheathed in a downwardly opening cup means defined by the confronting members 36 and by the top wall 37 connected between said members.

Whenever it is desired to expose the extremities 28, one merely slides the clip 30 upwardly upon leg 22, and rotates the same partially to permit the game to be strung upon the leg 26. Thereafter, the clip is returned to its normal position shown in Figure 4..

transversely therebetween, and in this case the clip is also formed from a length of flat material, bent to include contacting portions 38 connected by a rivet 39, said portions at one end merging into a sleeve slidable and rotatable upon one of the legs 14. At their other ends, the portions 38 have rearwardly projecting, oppositely and outwardly bowed spring legs 42 normally receiving the other leg 14.

The clip 38 prevents the spring leg 14 from spreading, under normal circumstances. Whenever it is desired to insert game between the spring legs, one swings the clip 38 out of engagement with the right hand leg 14, View ing the same as in Figure 3. The inherent spring tension of the legs 14 now exerts itself, and the legs are spread apart. The neck of a bird or of a small animal may now be inserted between the legs, and when the animal has been shifted downwardly between the legs 14 into engagement with bight 12, the legs are brought together against the spring tension thereof and the clip is returned to proper position. legs 14.

The material of the J-shaped side portions is also resilient, so that the legs 26 and legs 22 spread apart when the clips 30 are disengaged from the extremities 28. Again, the necks of birds or other small animals can be inserted between legs 22, 26, if it is not desired to string the animals upon the legs 26 in the manner shown in Figure 5.

The several clips, it should be noted, could also be made of plastic or of any other suitable material.

It is to be noted that the invention contemplates that the device need not be made of springable material, and that the clips might be omitted. If the device were made of a light material, it would probably be desirable that the center clip, in particular, be used. The two outside clips have the primary function of covering the hooks to prevent snagging of the device on the underbrush, twigs, etch Since the game can be inserted easily between extensions 16, the device could be made of a relatively rigid, heavier rod stock with the center clip and even the side clips omitted.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A small game carrier comprising a U-shaped center portion including a bight part and legs extending from said bight part for engaging game between the legs; J-shaped side portions each adapted for insertion of game therein; connecting portions joining the legs of the center portion with one leg of the respective J-shaped portions to provide a pair of downwardly opening loops adapted to receive the belt of a wearers garments, said center portion and J-shaped side portions being all formed from a single length of material bent to include the center portion, J-shaped side portions, and connecting portions; and a clip extending between the legs of the center por tion to hold the same against movement away from one another, said clip being detachable from at least one of the legs of the center portion to permit spreading of the legs for receiving game.

2. A small game carrier comprising a U-shaped center portion including a bight part and legs extending from said bight part for engaging game between the legs; J-shaped side portions each adapted for insertion of game therein; connecting portions joining the legs of the center portion with one leg of the respective J-shaped portions to provide a pair of downwardlylop'ening loops'adapted This clamps the animal between the to receive the belt of a wearers garments, said center portion and J-shaped side portions being all formed from a single length of material bent to include the center portion, J-shaped side portions, and connecting portions; a clip extending between the legs of the center portion to hold the same against movement away from one another, said clip being detachable from at least one of the legs of the center portion to permit spreading of the legs for receiving game; and clips carried by the respective J-shaped side portions, the last named clips being slidable upon one leg of the J-shaped side portions and including downwardly opening cup means receiving the other leg of the J-shaped side portions.

3. A small game carrier comprising a U-shaped center portion including a bight part and legs extending from said bight part for engaging game between the legs; J-shaped side portions each adapted for insertion of game therein; connecting portions joining the legs of the center portion with one leg of the respective J-shaped portions to provide a pair of downwardly opening loops adapted to receive the belt of a wearers garments, said center portion and J-shaped side portions being all formed from a single length of material bent to include the center portion, J-shaped side portions, and connecting portions; a clip extending between the legs of the center portion to hold the same against movement away from one another, said clip being detachable from at least one of the legs of the center portion to permit spreading of the legs for receiving game; and clips carried by the respective J-shaped side portions, the last named clips being slidable upon one leg of the J-shaped side portions and including downwardly opening cup means receiving the other leg of the J-shaped side portions, said other legs of the J-shaped side portions, at their free ends, being tapered for penetration of game to be supported from the J-shaped side portions.

4. A small game carrier comprising a U-shaped center portion including a bight part and legs extend-ing from said bight part for engaging game between the legs; J- shaped side portions each adapted for insertion of game therein; connecting portions joining the legs of the center portion with one leg of the respective J-shaped portions to provide a pair of downwardly opening loops adapted to receive the belt of a wearers garments, said center portion and J-shap'ed side portions being all formed from a single length of material bent to include the center portion, J-shaped side portions, and connecting portions; a clip extending between the legs of the center portion to hold the same against movement away from one another, said clip being detachable from at least one of the legs of the center portion to permit spreading of the legs for receiving game; and clips carried by the respective J- shaped side portions, the last named clips being slidable upon one leg of the J-shaped side portions and including downwardly opening cup means receiving the other leg of the J-shaped side portions, said other legs of the J-shaped side portions, at their free ends, being tapered for penetration of game to be supported from the J-shaped side portions, said J-shaped side portions lying in planes normal to the plane of the center portion.

5. A small game carrier comprising a U-shaped center portion including a bight part and legs extending from said bight part for engaging game between the legs; J- shaped side portions each adapted for insertion of game therein; connecting portions joining the legs of the center portion with one leg of the respective Jshaped portions to provide a pair of downwardly opening loops adapted to receive the belt of a wearers garments, said center portion and J-shaped side portions being all formed from a single length of material bent to include the center portion, J-shaped side portions, and connecting portions; a clip extending between the legs of the center portion to hold the same against movement away from one another, said clip being detachable from at least one of the legs of the center portion to permit spreading of the legs for receiving game; and clips carried by the respective J shaped side portions, the last named clips being slidable upon one leg of the J-shaped side portions and including downwardly opening cup means receiving the other leg of the J-shaped side portions, said other legs of the J-shaped side portions, at their free ends, being tapered for penetration of game to be supported from the J-shaped side portions, said J-shaped side portions lying in planes normal to the plane of the center portion, the legs of the center portion being formed at their upper ends with upwardly and rearwardly divergent ex- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,075,970 Gilliam Oct. 14, 1913 1,270,158 Hill June 18, 1918 2,320,067 Coughren May 25, 1943 

